Health Management in Aquaculture Ghent University

Overview

Key facts

Ghent University's Health Management in Aquaculture, the controlled production of aquatic organisms, plays a crucial role in meeting the growing demand for health, tasty and sustainably produced seafood. The rapid growth and intensification of seafood farming has inevitably resulted in the increased occurrence of viral, bacterial, parasitic or stress-related disease outbreaks. Indeed, current fa may in many farming practises tend to promote the presence of unwanted micro-organisms. It is an aspect of modern aquaculture that, until recently, has been largely underestimated or ignored in some regions, but that needs to be approached in a strategic way if current aquaculture production is to be improved in a sustainable way. In salmon aquaculture, for instance, spreading of viral diseases and parasites (salmon lice) are among the main current health and welfare challenges. In penaeid shrimp farming, viral disease outbreaks have occasionally decimated the production of whole countries causing huge economic losses and threatened livelihoods of numerous family-run business. Science-based efficient health management and well-educated specialised personnel are paramount for overcoming these problems.

Labour Market

The ever-continuing intensification in aquaculture systems, along with an increased production scale has inevitably resulted in the increased occurrence of disease outbreaks. This has created an urgent need for aquaculture health management experts who can respond to the health challenges in the aquaculture industry.